Fluid manifold



Oct. 17, 1967 G. R. sTEcK 3,347,473

FLUID MANIFOLD Filed June 7, 1965 His Afforn ey United States Patent O 3,347,473 FLUID MANIFOLD Gail R. Steck, Brookville, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed .lune 7, 1965, Ser. No. 461,872 Claims. (Cl. Z39-553.3)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In the preferred form, an elongated two-part manifold has an elongated loop shaped groove formed in the inner meetin-g face of one of the parts which is provided with a single symmetrically located elongated perforated entrance at the central portion of one half of the loop. The other part of the manifold has a symmetrically located elongated groove in its inner meeting face opposite the other half of the loop which is separated from this half of the loop by a perforated plate. The wall of the elongated groove has a series of uniformly spaced outlets. The perforated plate is provided with symmetrically located apertures which are of decreasing size extending from the center to the ends thereof to provide even flow `and uniform distribution to the outlets.

This invention pertains to fluid flow apparatus and more particularly to a manifold for distributing fluids in desired proportions.

The distribution of fluids in desired proportions has always been a difiicult proposition. The difficulties increase with the higher viscosity of the fluids and also with fluids of changing viscosity and characteristics, particularly those which congeal rapidly. Should such fluids become trapped, they may change the ratio of distribution and may be difficult to remove.

It is an object of this invention to provide a manifold for the distribution of fiuid in which the desired ratio of 4distribution is maintained indefinitely substantially Without wear and without the trapping of fluid.

It is another object of this invention -to provide a manifold for the distribution of liuid without corners and without dead end areas.

It is another object of this invention to provide a manifold which will distribute a compressible fluid such as latex foam indefinitely in a desired ratio.

These and other objects are attained in the form shown in the drawings in which an elongated two-apart metal manifold has a loop shaped groove formed in the inner meeting face of one of the parts which is provided with a single perforated entrance on one side of the loop. The other part of the manifold has an elongated groove in its inner meeting face opposite the other side of the loop which is separated from this adjacent side of the loop by a perforated plate. The bottom of the above elongated groove has a series of uniformly spaced outlets. The perforated plate is provided with apertures which are of different sizes located as to provide even ow to the outlets to secure uniform distribution. The loop shaped groove is surrounded by a gasket seal to prevent leak-age of the fluid from the manifold.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will `be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a top view of a manifold partly in section embodying one form of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary irregular vertical sectional view taken along the lines 2 2 of FIGURE 1; and

ice

FIGURE 3 is an irregular transverse vertical sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE l.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURE 3, there is shown a manifold 20 of aluminum or other metal provided with an upperl part 22 having at its transverse center line `an inlet fitting 24 connecting with an entrance groove 26 symmetrically located relative to the fitting 24. The lower part 28 of the mold 20 is firmly clamped to the upper part by four bolts 30 provided with hand nuts 32 on top of the upper part 22.

The upper part 22 has an inner meeting face 34 which abuts the inner meeting face 36 of the lower part 28 and is sealed thereto by a loop shaped gasket 38 within a loop shaped gasket groove. Within the gasket 38 the top part 22 is provided with an extremely elongated loop 40 in the form of a groove or passage which is substantially semicircular in cross-section and which is symmetrically located relative to the aforesaid transverse center line. At the central or midportion of one half of the groove 40 extending for a limited equal distance in both directions from the inlet fitting 24 is the aforementioned entrance groove or recess 26 which communicates with the inlet fitting 24 located at the middle of the recess 26. Surrounding the recess 26 is a shoulder 44 which receives and supports the perforated plate 46 which separates the recess 26 from the groove 44. The inlet fitting 24 extends to the recess 26 and supplies the fluid such as latex foam to the recess 26 for distribution through the perforations in the plate 46 to the loop shaped groove 40 at the midpoint of the one side thereof.

Upon the opposite side of the loop shaped groove 40 there is provided a recessed shoulder 48 which receives a second perforated plate 50 extending substantially the entire straight section of this side. Below this perforated plate 50 in the meeting face of the lower part 28 there is provided a recess 52 extending substantially the entire length of the plate 50. This recess 52 is substantially uniform in cross-section and is substantially semi-circular in shape when viewed transversely. It is, however, slightly deeper than the semi-circular shape itself, as is the loop shaped groove 40. Beneath the recess 52 are a series of uniformly spaced and sized outlets 54 for delivery into the grooves 56 of the mold S8. Preferably the mold 58 is as long as the desired strip to be molded and one of the outlets 54 is provided over each one of the grooves 56'. The mold 58 is moved at a uniform speed transversely to the manifold 20l under the outlets 54 to fill the grooves 56 uniformly from end to end. If the grooves 56 are all uniformly sized, the outlets 54 will likewise be uniformly sized. If the grooves 56 should be different in size, then the outlets 54 would be correspondingly different in size to fill the various grooves.

The perforated plate 50 is provided with apertures which include a large aperture 60` at the center, a pair of apertures 62 upon opposite sides of the center aperture 60 adjacent to the inner edge of the groove 40 which are smaller than the aperture 60; symmetrically located on opposite sides of the apertures 62 are the six apertds 64 which are slightly smaller than the apertures 62 and are located on the center line of the groove 40. Symmetrically located on opposite sides of the apertures 64 are two groups of three equal sized apertures 66 with the middle aperture being placed on the center line and the other two being placed on opposite sides of the center line adjacent opposite edges of theI groove 40. Beyond the apertures are two slightly smaller apertures 68 which are placed on opposite sides of the center line of the groove 40; Adjacent each end of the plate 50 along the center there is placed a slightly smaller aperture 70. All the apertures are spaced uniformly with the exception of the ape-r- 3 tures 66 which are spaced closer together for even distribution to the outlets 54.

Through this arrangement With as low an inlet pressure as 10 to 15 libs. p.s.i. at the fitting 24, the latex foam Will distribute itself uniformly through the outlets 54 into the grooves 56. The latex flows through the fitting 24 and spreads uniformly over the perforated plate 46 and is distributed equally at the mid-p0rtion of the groove 40. The flow divides and moves equally in opposite directions from the inlet fitting 24 around the semi-circular ends of the groove 40 and flows over the top of the plate 50 Within the groove 40. The apertures 61] to 70 control the flow of the latex foam fiuid through the plate 50 so that it is uniformly distributed throughout the recess 52 for uniform flow through the outlets 54. This secures the desired uni formity of fiovv into the grooves 56. This uniformity of flow 56 is obtained in spite of the changing viscosity and characteristics of the latex foam.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred foam, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is `as follows:

1. Manifold apparatus for distributing a fluid including a housing having a loop shaped passage therein, said passage being zoned into halves With a middle in one of the halves, said housing also having an entrance passage communicating with the middle of said one half of said loop passage, the opposite half of said passage being provided with a symmetrically located longitudinally extending partition Wall, said partition wall having ends, said housing having a series of discharge outlets communicating With said loop passage on one side of and adjacent to said partition vvall, said partition Wall having distributed apertures therein which decrease in area toward the ends thereof to improve the distribution of the fluid to said outlets.

2. Manifold apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said discharge outlets are identical in size and shape and uniformly spaced and symmetrically located with respect to said partition Wall and the apertures therein.

3. Manifold apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said passage has an enlargement adjacent said entrance passage and a second perforated partition Wall dividing said entrance passage and a portion of said enlargement from said one half of said loop passage.

4. Manifold apparatus for distributing a fluid including a housing having first and second parts with adjacent faces fitting together, said first part having a loop shaped groove in its adjacent face forming a loop shaped passage, one of said parts being provided With an entrance passage communicating with one portion of said loop shaped groove, said second part having a recess extending vvithin its ad-jacent face along another portion of said loop shaped groove, a partition Wall extending longitudinally over said recess and separating said recess from said loop shaped groove, said second part having a plurality of distributed outlets from said recess, said partition Wall having distributed apertures therein for controlling the flow of uid from said groove to said outlets.

5. Manifold apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said outlets are identical in size and symmetrically and uniformly distributed and said partition Wall having a central part and ends and said apertures are reduced in size from the central part to the ends of said partition Wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,325,513 12/1919 Fricker 239-562 1,742,538 1/1930 Heine Z39- 562 X 1,751,960 3/1930i Veenstra.

2,213,955 9/1940 De Freitas Z39-553.3 X 2,414,874 1/1947 Herbst Z39- 553.3 X 2,785,803 3/1957 Young.

3,072,303 1/ 1963 Monk Z39- 552 X 3,103,942 9/ 1963 Sharp 137-561 X M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

VAN C. WTLKS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. MANIFOLD APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING A FLUID INCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING A LOOP SHAPED PASSING THEREIN, SAID PASSAGE BEING ZONED INTO HALVES WITH A MIDDLE IN ONE OF THE HALVES, SAID HOUSING ALSO HAVING AN ENTRANCE PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH THE MIDDLE OF SAID ONE HALF OF SAID LOOP PASSAGE, THE OPPOSITE HALF OF SAID PASSAGE BEING PROVIDED WITH A SYMMETRICALLY LOCATED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PARTITION WALL, SAID PARTITION WALL HAVING ENDS, SAID HOUSING HAVING A SERIES OF DISCHARGE OUTLETS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID LOOP PASSAGE ON ONE SIDE OF AND ADJACENT TO SAID PARTITION WALL, SAID PARTITION WALL HAVING DISTRIBUTED APERTURES THEREIN WHICH DECREASE IN AREA TOWARD THE ENDS THEREOF TO IMPROVE THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE FLUID TO SAID OUTLETS. 